Cruise Ship Guest Services (Receptionists) are at the heart of a successful cruise. You are typically in the center of the ship and are always surrounded by guests with many different issues that they expect you to solve. A cruise ship receptionist needs to have a great smile, patience and be very flexible because in this position, it is likely that you will hear many hard to believe and sometimes crazy things from guests.
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What’s the Role of a Cruise Ship Receptionist?
Being a cruise ship receptionist is very similar to working at the front desk at a hotel on land. Your job is to be the point of information regarding everything and anything going on on the cruise ship. Receptionists, also called Front Desk Attendants, Guest Services Hosts, or International Hosts, are vital to every successful cruise. Guests will come to the reception or guest services desk, with questions they might have about anything, which they expect you to know the answer to or be able to direct them to someone who can answer their questions or solve their problem.
Always Have a Smile On!
The cruise ship receptionist must be not only professional but also highly courteous and willing to help guests with any problems that they may have. You are often the first face that guests see when they come on board, which is one of the reasons that in this position one needs to be friendly, smiling, and happy to interact with anyone who needs assistance. Nobody wants to start their vacation with a grumpy receptionist during check-in.
As the receptionist or front desk attendant, you will have to handle day-to-day interactions with the guests regarding a variety of things. You never know what the guest in line wants, so this role is sure to keep you on your toes.
Understanding exactly what the position entails and how you can set yourself apart from other applicants looking for the same job will help you stand out and possibly land this job on a cruise ship.
You Need to Know (Almost) Everything!
One of the things that most cruise ship receptionists love about their job is that it is so varied from day to day. In this role, you are the primary contact for any guests onboard, which means that you will often be asked to perform various tasks throughout the day.
Not only do receptionists help provide information to direct guests around the cruise ship and check passengers in and out but they also answer many other questions that they have and are in charge of taking information about concerns and complaints.
Common Tasks
Your job is to always be helpful in providing assistance to the guests in many different situations such as:
- check-in and check out
- processing payments
- guest complaints
- maintenance requests
- phone operator
- lost and found logs
- PA announcements
- money exchange
Being able to think on your toes and being excited about what new and exciting challenges each day brings is key to success as a receptionist. Since every day is different, it can be hard to prepare for exactly what the day will bring when working as a receptionist on a cruise ship.
Embarkation and Debarkation days are the Busiest!
Expect to work a lot of hours during embarkation days. On this day, all the guests come on board, after checking in at the terminal. They will flock to the guest services desk with any questions you can imagine. Set up their account, deposit cash, and ask where restaurants, bars, and venues are located onboard, among many other things. They will also come to you with room upgrade requests, lost luggage claims, and problems with their key cards not working (a common issue onboard). Expect to work close to 10 hours, sometimes more, if there’s an unusual issue. Make sure that on embarkation days you are fully rested and well-fed because the days are long, very long and the requests seem to be on repeat mode.
Debarkation Day
Debarkation day is the second busiest day for a guest services attendant. Guests will be closing off their accounts, setting up disputes, making travel reservations to the airport, asking to have the cruise gratuities removed, if applicable, and of course, they take this time to dispute their bill and charges, and not to forget, complain in the hopes of getting a discount on their final bill. This day is not as busiest as embarkation day but it certainly comes in second.
How Much Does a Receptionist Earn on a Cruise Ship?
The salary for a guest services associate can vary widely depending on your job history as well as what cruise line you apply to.
Generally speaking, receptionists can expect to make between $1200 and $1800 a month. There are some companies that will pay entry-level receptionists less, with their starting average around $1000 a month.
It’s All About the Perks
You have to keep in mind that working on a cruise ship comes with awesome perks, so make sure you take that into consideration. As outlined in this post, START HERE, one of the most important rewards is the travel that comes with a job on a cruise ship. You get perks like free lodging and food, as well as paid medical expenses while onboard. There is also the possibility to go on free or discounted shore excursions, as well as onboard activities created exclusively for the crew- like crew parties, special dinner events, bingo, and raffles, among other things.
How Much Time Off Do I Get?
The front desk on a cruise ship, or in any other hotel, is open 24 hours. Staff is assigned shifts and you may have to work an overnight shift or not, that will depend on your schedule. If you work an overnight shift, you will have the chance to visit the ports of call after your shift ends. If you have a day shift, you might have some time off in port but it will only be for a few hours. Most receptionists onboard like the night shift because it’s quiet and you get your break during the day when the ship is in port. The downside is if the ship has an overnight in port, you don’t have a chance to go out at night, depending on what time your shift starts.
Example of Guest Services Schedule
Embarkation day and debark day are the busiest days, so expect to work a lot,10 hours being the norm. You would, of course, get a break for lunch, dinner, and a small break in between, other than that, on these days you are full steam ahead.
On the other days, port day or sea day, the schedules can be divided into three different shifts:
- Morning Shift
- It can start as early as 8 am to 12 pm
- Break for Lunch and Rest
- Start back from 4 pm until 8 pm
- Afternoon Shift
- Normally it starts from 12 pm until 4 pm
- Break for Rest and Dinner
- Continues from 8 pm to 12:00 AM
- Night Shift (Graveyard shift)
- 12 am until 8 am with breaks in between
The schedule above is just one example. Schedules can vary from company to company and even within ship to ship on the same company. A Cruise that has a lot of port time, you can expect to work less since the majority of the guests will be off the ship. One thing that does not change, no matter the length of the cruise is embarkation and a debarkation day. These are the busiest for the majority of the crew onboard, especially guest services.
What are the Job Requirements of a Cruise Ship Receptionist (Front Desk Attendant)?
A great receptionist will be more than just a friendly face to guests coming to the guest services desk. If you want to apply for this job, then you need to meet the requirements and qualifications set by the cruise line. One requirement is that the receptionist be friendly and able to remain calm under pressure.
Since you will be also handling money, you must make sure that you can easily perform quick calculations and that you have good computer skills that will allow you to find information quickly for guests on the company’s system. Most companies use Fidelio Cruise.
Common Requirements:
- 6 months-1 year minimum experience working at a hotel as front desk/receptionist
- Excellent English Skills, Additional languages a plus
- Microsoft Office experience preferred (Excel, Word)
- Fidelio Cruise System is a plus
- Customer Service Driven
Additional Languages Required, If Any
English is the primary language that you must speak as a receptionist- it must be clear, easily understood, and fluent. Since you will be working with upset guests who may be speaking quickly and using slang, a thorough understanding of English is important.
Applicants who speak more than one language may also be considered for a similar position called International Host. International hosts perform almost the same tasks as a receptionist, but they have additional tasks involved with their target language and are often the point of contact for specific groups onboard.
Tips to Prepare for an Interview
As with any job, the recruiter will want to know about any previous experience that you have working as a receptionist, common challenges faced in your position, and what you know about ship life and how you would be able to handle it.
Most interviews will be held via a conferencing tool such as Google Hangouts or Skype. Make sure that you have a good connection, your microphone and camera are working properly, you have a good, quiet place to interview, preferably with a white background. Additionally, don’t forget to take time during your interview to stay relaxed. A flustered receptionist is not going to do nearly as well as one who is calm and relaxed. By prepping common interview questions, you can easily improve your chances of getting the job.
Know all Aspects of Ship Life
Having the basic required skills for the position is very important before you decide to apply for a cruise ship job, but recruiters also want to make sure you know what to expect from a cruise ship job. You are not only signing up for the job but for the lifestyle that comes with it. You will be living on a cruise ship, sharing a cabin with a roommate, with little privacy and not a lot of time off. You need to be the kind of individual that can adapt to change quickly and are self-motivated because things are fast-paced onboard.
Be prepared to answer questions about ship life and know what to expect. Being prepared will show the recruiter that you have done your research and know that life at sea is not a vacation. By being firm in your answers and knowledgeable about what you are signing up for, the recruiter will have a favorable view when it comes to the final decision.
Can I Get a Job as a Receptionist on a Cruise Ship with No Experience?
While it is significantly harder to get a job as a cruise ship receptionist without prior experience, it is possible. You will, however, have to work hard to show that you can handle the work expected of you and really make sure to do a great job during your interview.
Giving examples of past positions with aspects that can be relevant to a receptionist job, experiences of how you have remained calm under pressure, and how you have helped customers in other customer service roles will go a long way in helping you get the job.
In the end, the recruiter wants to make sure you have what it takes to do the job and handle the ship life that comes with it.
Final Words
Have fun! Being a receptionist on a cruise ship is an incredibly rewarding job, and you can make many friends, even among the guests. Although the job can be stressful at times, your attitude and how you deal with each situation is what will make a difference in the end. If you feel as though you can handle the daily responsibilities and expectations that you will need to meet, then it’s time to start working on your resume.
This job is a great way to interact with people, help them enjoy their vacations, and get to see the world all at the same time.
Don’t let bitter, unhappy people drag you down to their level. Instead, use their behavior as an example of how not to behave and be grateful you are nothing like them.
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